Chapter 311 - INSIDE THE RING

Veronica was inside the ring. She heard cheers and looked up. At least three hundred people in the premises were looking at her. Some were encouraging her, and some were laughing at her for being stupid.

'They must be looking for me to be beaten up,' she thought. 'How demotivating!' 

Just then, Roxana entered the ring. The crowd shouted her name. "Roxana! Roxana! Roxana!"

Roxana smirked at them and then eyed her opponent. "Are you scared?"

"How can that be?" Veronica pretended to be tough. She drew her sword. "I'm game."

Roxana began to like her opponent. "Great! I'm in high spirits. I'll go all out."

Veronica's confidence flew out of the ring. "Wait! How about going easy on me? I'm still a novice."

"Prepare yourself, Veronica." In the blink of an eye, Roxana drew her sword and rushed forward.

Veronica could barely breathe. She just noticed a gust of wind. She saw something shiny darting toward her face. In the last millisecond, she blocked it with her sword.

"Wow, this is the first time someone blocked my first blow. I was aiming for your same." Roxana laughed like a madwoman.

"…" Veronica gulped. She didn't find it funny at all. 

In the next few minutes, Roxana kept attacking her, she could only block at the last moment. Her opponent's movements were so fast, she had a hard time keeping up. However, the audience's voice became quieter and quieter. In their lifetime, they only saw Roxana's rivals get beaten up every single time. This time, it was a girl. Although she didn't fight back, she was able to stop Roxana from hitting her. It was something new. 

For Veronica, which was a pathetic survival, to others, it was an amazing fight.

"…" Arthur stared at his wife. He noticed that she was sweating. But her eyes were focused. Her eyes were sharp and constantly moved and followed her competitor. She didn't get distracted. She looked composed. Her legs and arms moved flexibly. Her arms were strong enough to hold a long sword. 

He scanned the sword. His eyes narrowed slightly. He could recognize the design on the blade. He saw it in a book where it was mentioned. 'Elvish blade,' he muttered inwardly.

He glanced at his wife in a new light. The sweet, soft girl was no more. There, inside the ring, his wife was a fighter who could fight against a professional fighter with an Elvish sword. His heartbeat increased. 

Roxana kept attacking nonstop, but she couldn't even touch Veronica. She was using her short sword. She didn't expect her rival to be an expert in blocking her every move.

"You are good," she complimented Veronica. "Why don't you try attacking me?"

"Don't listen to your enemy's provocation and give in. It's their trap when they can't beat you in a fair fight" – Urulas once told Veronica when he was giving her a lesson. She remembered it and stayed quiet. It wasn't that she wasn't trying to find a way to strike. She just couldn't find the chance. Roxana was a bullet. She moved too fast.

Roxana realized that she couldn't distract her with words. So, she decided to use her leg. She kicked aiming at Veronica's knees.

From the corner of her eyes, Veronica spotted something was coming. She could deal with double attacks. She jumped back two steps and swung her sword. 

Roxana opened her eyes wide and swiftly moved away from her sword's length. A wide smile spread over her face. She was enjoying it. She changed her posture. This time, she was more serious. 

Veronica frowned. 'Why is she changing her sword style? I'm not familiar with this kind of stance.' She licked her lips. They felt dry. 

Roxana took out four shurikens and threw them at her. Veronica blocked two of them. The other two grazed her left cheek and right arm. Seeing blood on her skin, Roxana was finally satisfied. 'Found your weakness. Can't take more than two attacks, aye.'

Afterward, Veronica was quickly beaten. She couldn't prevent all the attacks at once. Roxana was swift when she attacked. She couldn't attack four times altogether without spending too much effort. However, Veronica used her extra effort and energy on obstructing the second strike that she didn't know what to do to prevent third and fourth attacks.

Veronica only learned to deal with two attacks. Even so, it didn't mean that she didn't want to block her opponent's movements. Before she could come up with a plan to strike, she got beaten up. And Roxana, as promised, didn't hold back. 

Veronica was pampering her body for a week and thus, it led to a disaster. She lost oxygen and her stomach was empty. Without oxygen, she couldn't produce more energy. With her bleeding corner of the lips and an aching cheek, she raised her head to look for Arthur.

She spotted him among the audience. Unlike others, he was worriedly looking at her. His eyes were asking for her permission. If she gave him a signal, he would destroy this place and rescue her. She could feel him regretting his decision.

'Arthur is holding back because I told him not to force his decision on me. I need to show him that I'm not someone who gets beaten up for nothing,' she thought. She looked at Roxana. Her wet hair was stuck on her face, but she didn't bother.

She saw Roxana's left leg was darting toward her and her hand was thrusting a knife at her left eye. Veronica used her sword to block the knife and Roxana's left leg kicked away her sword. When her fist came not long after, Veronica grabbed it and pulled her forward. She pulled out her knife that was attached to her thigh. She directly aimed at Roxana's face. 

Roxana hurriedly moved her head, but her chin was scratched. Blood gushed out of her injury. It happened so fast that none of them could stop it from happening.

"Oh no! I'm sorry!" Veronica panicked and dropped the knife.

The match ended just like that.